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YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea (Sept. 11, 2012) -- Eighth Army safety officials are encouraging U.S. troops to steer clear of unexploded ordnance in South Korea.

The recent typhoons that struck Korea in late August washed 16 North Korean landmines into coastal areas south of the world's most heavily armed border, the South Korean media reported.

Eighth Army Explosives Safety Manager James Kang said the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Korean War battle sites and military training ranges aren't the only places where unexploded ordnance, or UXOs, can be found in South Korea.

"UXO are not regionally confined to a certain area in Korea," said Kang.

Kang said unexploded ordnance has been found in backyards, on farms, in the mountains, in rivers and at the beach.

According to Kang, anyone who discovers UXO should leave it alone and immediately report it to safety officials or Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians.

"People can reasonably identify UXO by its shape," said Kang, a former U.S. Army EOD technician. "Don't touch it! Move away from it, mark the location and report it."